Sending out an SOS to save historic ship designed by Haverford man

A small sign on a window of the IKEA cafeteria in Philadelphia asks, "Ever wonder about the big ship across the street?"

Well, wonder no more. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the maiden run of the SS United States, an ambitious campaign is under way to preserve and repurpose the ship that holds the world record for fastest transatlantic voyage.

"We are working hard to save this ship," said Susan Gibbs, executive director of the SS United States Conservancy.

Her grandfather, Philadelphia-born William Francis Gibbs (1886-1967), a prominent naval architect and engineer who designed World War II cargo ships including the Liberty ships, designed the SS United States. The son of a financier, he and his brother, Frederic Herbert, grew up in Haverford and long dreamed of one day launching a high-speed, 1,000-foot-long ocean liner.

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Today the vessel is rusting at Pier 82 at a shipyard off of Columbus Boulevard. Its massive hull and red, white and blue-painted twin funnels serve as reminder of its once proud maritime history.

Launched in 1952 in Newport News, Va., and based at Pier 86 in New York, the liner, affectionately dubbed "The Big U," was as impressive as the Manhattan skyline. Almost as long as the Chrysler building is tall at nearly 1,000 feet, it was larger than the Titanic and built to be fast. Its superstructure and much of its fittings and furniture were made of aluminum to lessen the weight.

It cruised at an average speed of 35.59 knots, about 41 mph, on its maiden voyage to Bishop Rock, England, in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes - a world record.

Safety was also a hallmark of the ship. Its hull was designed for stability and strength, and its materials fireproof or fire-retardant.

Another innovation was the United States' ability to be converted into a military vessel: the world's fastest troop carrier. Conceived during the start of the Cold War as part of a top-secret Pentagon project, it had the capability to transport 14,000 troops 10,000 nautical miles without refueling. The ship was never called into military service, though, according to the conservancy.

Instead it accommodated 1,900 civilian passengers as they cruised the high seas in high luxury during the golden age of transatlantic travel. It served 16 different kinds of champagne and 49 varieties of scotch. The ship's guest lists included a who's who of the privileged and the powerful, from Hollywood to the White House to titans of industry. Famous celebrity passengers included Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, Gary Cooper, Bob Hope, Charlton Heston, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne and Walt Disney.

After its glory days ended, in 1969, a tenure that included 800 transatlantic voyages carrying more than one million passengers without a mishap, the SS United States was decommissioned. It was towed to South Philadelphia in 1996 and mothballed. Its contents, including china, art and furniture as well as the ornate fittings, were auctioned off in the 1980s and 1990s and are today in museums and private collections. The Norwegian Cruise Line took ownership of the vessel at one point with hopes of restoring it to ply the ocean's waters once again, but the plans proved too costly.

The ship, its opulence just a memory, was considered for scrap metal.

Yet it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The conservancy came to its rescue and bought it in 2011 for $5.8 million after a financial pledge of support from local philanthropist H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest. Conservancy members see a promising future afloat despite this ship's rusting decks, paint-chipped hallways and gutted staterooms. It's a future with commercial potential as a permanently moored waterfront attraction in a major East Coast city. The conservancy is seeking development proposals that could include space for conventions, hotel rooms, restaurants and shopping.

Conservancy members also envision a shipboard museum to tell the story of the grand vessel. A 20,000-square-foot museum and theater in the United States' former observation and tourist lounges will highlight the ship's technology. Several of the ship's most prominent public rooms will be recreated. One of the ship's engine rooms will be restored, too, as part of an "immersive visitor experience." According to the conservancy, the ship's high-temperature, high-pressure steam-propulsion system was the most powerful ever installed on a merchant vessel.

In addition, the conservancy is cataloging the location and ownership of the ship's former contents.

"The conservancy's capital campaign seeks to raise $25 million, which would cover the restoration of the exterior of the ship and the development of an immersive museum experience and educational programs aboard the vessel," pointed out Gibbs. "We have been raising money in support of this campaign for more than a year and are about to significantly expand our efforts through our new Save the United States campaign at savetheunitedstates.org."

Last month Independence Seaport Museum on Penn's Landing introduced the conservancy's new spokesperson, former Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil, to help kick off a public-service campaign.

The evening also included the premiere of a documentary on the ship's 60th anniversary of its maiden voyage as well as temporary lighting of the ship's funnels to draw attention to what supporters hope to be a rebirth of "America's Flagship."

Conservancy members recently had the opportunity to tour the vessel, which is moored under tight security. It was a homecoming of sorts for Charles B. Anderson, who visited the SS United States as a youngster as his father served as the ship's captain from 1952 to 1964. Crew member Joe Rota also became reacquainted with an old friend. He joined the staff as a bellboy in the 1950s and worked for a time as the ship's photographer, snapping the images of passengers at play including such Tinseltown notables as Judy Garland, Hopalong Cassidy and Robert Montgomery. Also taking the tour was Carl Wesch, an Ohio resident who traveled on the ship from Manhattan to Southampton with his American father and British mother in 1959. He was just 7.

"The only things I remember that really overwhelmed me were her size and power," he recalled.

"Everything was giant," he added, "and she still is the biggest ... built in America."

For information on how to donate to preserve the SS United States, visit the new Web site, which will be activated by July 11: savetheunitedstates.org.